Valve inserting device for aerosol containers

ABSTRACT

A reciprocably mounted support on which there are mounted a valve gripper and a keeper for movement with the support toward and from a container and for movement relative to the support, springs holding the gripper and keeper distended and in tandem relation to each other such that the support when moving toward the container is capable of continuing movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper supported valve with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper. There is a cam operable following engagement of the keeper with the valve to separate the jaws of the gripper and a cam operable during the initial movement of the support away from the container to retract the separated jaws of the gripper from the valve before the keeper is withdrawn from engagement with the valve element.

United States Patent 1 Bergerron Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney-Robert P. Gammans [11] 3,739,449 June 19, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT A reciprocably mounted support on which there are mounted a valve gripper and a keeper for movement with the support toward and from a container and for movement relative to the support, springs holding the gripper and keeper distended and in tandem relation to each other such that the support when moving toward the container is capable of continuing movement to ward the container following engagement of the grip per supported valve with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper. There is a cam operable following engagement of the keeper with the valve to separate the jaws of the gripper and a cam operable during the initial movement of the support away from the container to retract the separated jaws of the gripper from the valve before the keeper is withdrawn from engagement with the valve element.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures l l l2\ PATENIEUJUNI 9 mm SHEETIBFS R m mm Q WJDM 30 11 R at d ATTORNEY PATENTEDJUNI 9:915 739,449

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INVENTOR Alfred L. Barge/0n W WMM ATTORNEY Pmmmwm elm 3 739 449 sum 3 or s Fig 4 2k INVENTOR A/frea' L. Bergeron mIR-FMQM ATTORNEY PAtENTEnJuu 1 9191s SREHQDFS wvmron A/fred L. Barge/0n A TTOR/VEY Pmmwwmw 3.739.449

sum 5 or 5 Fig. 6

INVENTOR A/frea L. Bergeron ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present device is adapted for use in the container filling and closing industry and particularly in the field of machinery for applying or inserting a stemmed valve unit into an aerosol container after the liquid to be pressurized has been deposited in the container.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior to the present invention, rotary apparatus provided with a plurality of closure gripping and applying heads have been used for applying closures to filled containers. Rotary machines with vertically reciprocating gripping and inserting heads have also been used for inserting a valve and stem unit attached to a closure into an aerosol can having a liquid product therein to be subsequently pressurized and sealed. Such prior machines operated to press the closure portion of the unit into the mouth of the can without any provision for assuring full seating of the valve operating member or button on the valve extension. Furthermore, such prior machines failed to provide any means for preventing inadvertent displacement of the inserted valve unit during elevation of the vertically reciprocable inserting device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an inserting device embodied in a rotary machine having a plurality of vertically reciprocable inserting heads, each provided with a gripper adapted to receive successive valve units at one point during its rotary movement, the heads being lowered to insert the valve unit into a container at another point during its rotary movement whereupon the grip pers are opened to release the valve unit and the heads are again elevated. The present aerosol valve unit comprises a tubular stem having a valve at one end connected to a closure. A valve extension provided with an operating button extends above the closure.

In practice, it was found that some of the valve operating buttons were not fully seated on the upstanding valve extension, and in accordance with one feature of the present invention, provision is made for assuring that the operating button is fully seated on its valve extension during the inserting operation.

Accordingly, the present invention has for an object to provide novel and improved inserting mechanism having novel provision for assuring that the valve operating button is fully seated on the valve extension during the lowering of the valve inserting head.

Another problem encountered during the inserting operation was that the liquid in the open container may be of a sticlty character and that during movement of the container, some of the liquid might splash onto the grippers which carry the valve units. As a result, the valve unit would be liable to adhere to the gripper unit and would be carried up during elevation of the inserting head.

Accordingly, another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved inserting device of the character specified having provision for assuring release of the valve unit upon elevation of the gripping head in a simple and efficient manner.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the inserting device for aerosol containers as hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. I is a side elevation partly in cross section of a valve inserting head as embodied in a valve inserting machine;

FIG. 2 is a detail view in cross section of an aerosol container showing a valve unit inserted therein;

FIG. 3 is aplan view of an inserting head and associated mechanism to be described;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of an inserting head shown partly in cross section and with the valve unit inserted into the container;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the inserting head shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the inserting head shown in FIG. d;

FIG. '7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the valve operating button in its fully seated position; and

FIG. 8 is another view similar to FIG. 4 showing the inserting head in a partially elevated position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. I, the valve inserting device comprises a vertically reciprocable support in the form of a plunger or slide bar 10, herein shown as embodied in a rotary machine, and by which the inserting head indicated generally at 12 is carried. The slide bar 10 is supported for reciprocation in a bracket 14 attached to a rotating portion 15 of the machine. A cam roll 16 carried by the slide bar 10 is arranged to cooperate with an appropriately shaped groove in a stationary barrel cam as indicated at T8 to effect vertical reciprocation slide of the slide bar Ill during travel of the same through a circular path.

As illustrated herein (FIG. 4), the inserting head 12 is slidably carried at the lower end. of the vertically reciprocable bar 10 and is limited in its movement relative to the bar by a through stud 230 which operates in a slot 22 formed in the slide bar Ill. One end of the stud 20 is threadedly engaged in a portion of the head, the other end carrying a cam roll 24. A coil spring 26 extends between the threaded portion of the stud 20 and a plate 2% fast on the lower end of the slide bar 10 as shown. Thus, in operation, the spring 26 tends to pull the head 12 down on the slide bar Ill until the slot engaging portion of the stud hits the bottom of the slot 22.

The lower end of the inserting head 12 is provided with a valve gripper unit indicated generally at 30, and which includes a halt section 311 formed in the head, and a movable half section 32 carried by the head and pivotally mounted thereon for cooperation with the half section M. The sections 31, 32 comprise jaws and these jaws are yieldingly held engaged with a valve element mounted between them as will be described here inafter. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the valve unit 34 comprises a tubular stem 36, a valve 38 secured to a cap 40 and a valve button 42. The valve gripper unit 30 is shaped at its lower end to grip a flanged portion of the cap 40 and the portion of the gripper above the cap is provided with an opening 39 through which the valve button extends.

Means is provided for resiliently engaging the loosely applied valve button 42 for the purpose of pressing the same onto the short extension 43 thereof to assure full seating of the same and for continuing resilient engagement with the valve button 42 during initial disengagement and elevation of the gripper unit 30 for the purpose of preventing sticking of the valve unit to the gripper. The aforesaid means comprises as shown, see FIG. 4, a spring pressed pin 44 having a shouldered head portion 46 movable in a counterbore 48 formed in the head 12 and pressed downwardly by a compression spring 50 contained in the bore. The pin 44 extends through an opening in the plate 28, the shouldered portion 46 bearing against the upper surface of the plate 28 as shown and functions as a presser which seats the valve button and a keeper which holds the valve element in place during release and elevation of the gripper. The ilustrated container, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises an aerosol can 52 having a mouth portion 54 into which the valve unit is inserted. When fully inserted, a portion 56 of the cap 40 is extended into the mouth and a flange portion 58 of the cap rests on the rim of the mouth portion. The lower end of the pin 44 is guided in a bearing block 60 secured to the head 12. As herein illustrated, the cans 52 are supported on a disk 62 and are moved through a circular path in alignment with their respective inserting heads by a rotary member 64 in cooperation with an annular guide.

From the description thus far, it will be seen that during movement of the inserting head 12 in a rotary path with the head in alignment with a container, the head is lowered a predetermined distance to effect engagement of the flange portion 58 of the valve unit with the rim of the mouth portion 54 of the container as shown in FIG. 4. In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for continuing the downward stroke of the slide bar a predetermined additional distance after the gripper portion of the inserting head comes to rest on the rim of the aerosol container. As a result, the bar 10 moves down relative to the head 12, and the end of the spring pressed pin 44 engages the end of the button 42 and presses it down on the extension 43 of the valve unit to cause the button to be fully seated thereon as shown in FIG. 7. As herein shown, the lower end of the pin 44 is provided with a counterbore 70 affording clearance for an extension 72 of the button 42.

It will be seen that in operation when the downward movement of the slide bar is discontinued, the extension spring 26 will be stretched; the compression spring 50 will be loaded; and the stud carried by the inserting head 12 will be moved away from the lower end of the slot 22. At this time, provision is made for rocking the movable half section 32 of of the gripper 30 to its open'position; initiating elevation of the slide bar 10 by virtue of the barrel cam 18; and simultaneously elevating the inserting head a short distance along with the initial elevation of the slide bar 10. As a result, during such initial elevation, the spring pressed pin 44 remains in engagement with the button 42 for a'short time by virtue of the loading of the spring 50 when the bar 10 was lowered beyond the point at which the valve unit engaged the rim of the container. Thus, in operation, the valve unit 40 is physically separated from the half section 31 of the gripper 30 during such initial elevation of the bar 10 and head 12, thus preventing any likelihood of the cap 40 of the valve unit from adhering to the gripper in the event of splashing of sticky liquid from the container onto the gripper unit. During continued elevation of the slide bar 10, the spring 50 will become fully extended and the spring 26 will effect movement of the head relative to the bar to again present the stud 20 to the lower end of the slot 22. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the movable half section 32 of the gripper unit 30 is carried by an arm 74 which is clamped to the lower end of a stud 76 pivotally mounted in a hub 78 formed integrally with the head 12. The upper end of the stud is provided with an arm 80 fast thereon which carries a roller 82 for cooperation with a stationary cam 84 attached to an upright post 86 forming a part of the machine frame. A spring 88 extended between the arm 80 and a stud 90 attached to the head is arranged to rock the stud to effect closing of the half section 32. The cam 84 is disposed at a point to effect opening of the half section 32 prior to the elevating movement of the bar 10 and head 12. It will be noted that the gripper half sections 31, 32 are arcuately shaped to fit about the flange portion 58 of the cap 40, the lower portion of the arc in the movable half section 32 being turned inwardly slightly to extend under the flange when in gripping position whereby to prevent the valve unit from dropping out of the gripper until it is opened. The arcuate portion of the half section 31 is straight sides to permit elevation of the head without disturbing the valve unit inserted in the container.

As herein shown, the head 12 is arranged to be elevated a short distance during initial elevating movement of the slide bar 10 by virtue of a cam 92 also carried by the post 86 which is positioned to engage the roller 24 carried by the head 12 and to elevate the head during the initial elevating movement of the slide bar 10 so as to positively remove the section 31 of the gripper unit from the flange portion 58 surrounding the mouth 54 of the aerosol container. It will be observed that an upper gripper arm 33 cooperating with a portion of the head 12 serves to support the operating button 42 during the inserting operation.

As illustrated in plan in FIG. 3, which diagrammatically indicates the sequence of operation during movement of the inserting head 12 through a circular path, the head is in its lowered position and the valve unit is inserted into the container with the flange portion 58 in engagement with the rim of the container 52 at a point indicated by the radial line 100. During continued travel of the head through a circular path, the valve operating button 42 is engaged and firmly seated by the spring pressed pin 44. The movable portion 32 of the gripper is then opened by the stationary cam 84 whereupon the head 12 starts its elevating movement at the point indicated by the radial line 102 as effected by the stationary cam 92, the elevation occurring substantially simultaneously with the initial elevating movement of the slide bar 10.

From the above description it will be seen that the present improvement in a valve inserting device for aerosol containers not only assures positive placement of the valve operating button 42 to its fully seated position on the valve extension 43 of the unit but also serves to prevent removal and elevation of the valve unit with the inserting head by effecting positive separation of the head from the valve unit during the initial elevating movement.

It will be understood that the portion 56 of the cap 40 is only loosely extended into the container with the flange 58 resting'on the rim of the mouth portion. In this condition the containers are transferred from the inserting machine to pressurizing and sealing mechanism which forms no part of the present invention.

While the present inserting device has been herein illustrated and described as embodied in a rotary machine having a plurality of inserting heads, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in a single head, non-rotary machine without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, comprising a reciprocal member, a gripper and keeper mounted on the reciprocal member for movement therewith and relative thereto, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal member and in tandem such that the reciprocal member is capable of continued movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper-supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve unit and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper from the reciprocal member, and means operable as the reciprocal member moves away from the container to disengage the gripper from the valve unit within a distance which is less than the movement of the reciprocal member relative to said keeper.

2. A device for inserting a valve unit having a loosely applied operating button into a container, a reciprocal member, a gripper and keeper mounted on the reciprocal member for movement therewith and relative thereto, said gripper being adapted to support said valve unit for movement with the reciprocal member, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal member and in tandem with the gripper preceding the keeper such that the reciprocal member is capable of continued movement toward the container following engagement of the grippersupported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the button to seat the button and of movement relative to the keeper following seating a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper from the reciprocal member, and means operable as the reciprocal member moves away from the container to disengage the gripper from the valve unit while the keeper remains in engagement with the button within a distance which is less than the movement of the reciprocal member relative to the keeper.

3. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, vertically reciprocal means, a valve gripper and keeper mounted on said reciprocal means for movement therewith toward and away from a container into which the valve unit is to be inserted and for movement relative thereto, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal member and in tandem with the gripper preceding the keeper such that the reciprocal member while moving toward the container is capable of continuing movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve unit and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper from the reciprocal means, and means operable as the reciprocal means moves away from the container within a distance less than the movement of the reciprocal member relative to the keeper to completely disengage the gripper from the valve unit.

4. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, comprising vertically reciprocal means, a valve gripper and keeper mounted on said reciprocal means for movement therewith toward and away from a container into which the valve unit is to be inserted and for movement relative thereto, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal means and in tandem with the gripper preceding the keeper such that the reciprocal means while moving toward the container is capable of continuing movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper-supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve unit and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper, said gripper comprising articulated jaws, means yieldably holding the jaws engaged with a valve unit while the reciprocal means is moving toward the container, means operable to separate the jaws following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit, and means operable as the reciprocal means commences to move away from the container to retract the gripper from the valve unit within a distance less than the movement of the reciprocal means relative to the keeper.

5. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, comprising a vertically reciprocal bar, a head block mounted on the bar for movement therewith and move ment relative thereto, a gripper mounted on the head block, said gripper comprising articulated jaws spring biased toward each other to grip a valve element there between, pin and slot means associated with the bar and head clamp limiting relative movement of the head block on the bar, a spring connected to the bar and head block which holds the head block with the pin engaged with an end of the slot, in which position the gripper is distended from the bar, a keeper provided with a stem slidably mounted on the bar, a spring yieldably engaged with the stem which holds the keeper distended from the bar in tandem'relation to the clamp, the yieldably distended positions of the gripper and keeper being such that the reciprocal bar is capable of movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper-supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper, means associated with the jaws of the gripper operable prior to re traction of the reciprocal bar to separate the jaws from each other and from the valve, and other means associated with the head block operable during the initial movement of the reciprocal bar away from the container within a distance less than the distention of the keeper from the bar to retract the gripper from the valve unit.

6. In a device for inserting an aerosol valve unit into a container, in combination, vertically reciprocable means including a slide bar, a valve unit gripper head carried by said slide bar for supporting a valve unit to effect insertion of the latter into a container, said gripper head being mounted for limited movement relative to the slide bar, and a spring pressed pin carried by said slide bar and engageable with the inserted valve unit during the initial elevating movement of said gripper head to assure positive separation of the valve unit from the gripper head.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 which includes means for elevating said gripper head independently of said slide bar during said initial elevating movement.

8. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein the gripper head comes to rest upon engagement of the valve unit with the container while the slide bar continues its downward movement for a predetermined short distance to load the spring pressed pin, and means for elebar. 

1. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, comprising a reciprocal member, a gripper and keeper mounted on the reciprocal member for movement therewith and relative thereto, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal member and in tandem such that the reciprocal member is capable of continued movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper-supported valve unit with the containEr to move the keeper into engagement with the valve unit and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper from the reciprocal member, and means operable as the reciprocal member moves away from the container to disengage the gripper from the valve unit within a distance which is less than the movement of the reciprocal member relative to said keeper.
 2. A device for inserting a valve unit having a loosely applied operating button into a container, a reciprocal member, a gripper and keeper mounted on the reciprocal member for movement therewith and relative thereto, said gripper being adapted to support said valve unit for movement with the reciprocal member, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal member and in tandem with the gripper preceding the keeper such that the reciprocal member is capable of continued movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper-supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the button to seat the button and of movement relative to the keeper following seating a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper from the reciprocal member, and means operable as the reciprocal member moves away from the container to disengage the gripper from the valve unit while the keeper remains in engagement with the button within a distance which is less than the movement of the reciprocal member relative to the keeper.
 3. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, vertically reciprocal means, a valve gripper and keeper mounted on said reciprocal means for movement therewith toward and away from a container into which the valve unit is to be inserted and for movement relative thereto, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal member and in tandem with the gripper preceding the keeper such that the reciprocal member while moving toward the container is capable of continuing movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve unit and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper from the reciprocal means, and means operable as the reciprocal means moves away from the container within a distance less than the movement of the reciprocal member relative to the keeper to completely disengage the gripper from the valve unit.
 4. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, comprising vertically reciprocal means, a valve gripper and keeper mounted on said reciprocal means for movement therewith toward and away from a container into which the valve unit is to be inserted and for movement relative thereto, means yieldably holding the gripper and keeper distended from the reciprocal means and in tandem with the gripper preceding the keeper such that the reciprocal means while moving toward the container is capable of continuing movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper-supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve unit and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper, said gripper comprising articulated jaws, means yieldably holding the jaws engaged with a valve unit while the reciprocal means is moving toward the container, means operable to separate the jaws following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit, and means operable as the reciprocal means commences to move away from the container to retract the gripper from the valve unit within a distance less than the movement of the reciprocal means relative to the keeper.
 5. A device for inserting a valve unit into a container, comprising a vertically reciprocal bar, a head block mounted On the bar for movement therewith and movement relative thereto, a gripper mounted on the head block, said gripper comprising articulated jaws spring biased toward each other to grip a valve element therebetween, pin and slot means associated with the bar and head clamp limiting relative movement of the head block on the bar, a spring connected to the bar and head block which holds the head block with the pin engaged with an end of the slot, in which position the gripper is distended from the bar, a keeper provided with a stem slidably mounted on the bar, a spring yieldably engaged with the stem which holds the keeper distended from the bar in tandem relation to the clamp, the yieldably distended positions of the gripper and keeper being such that the reciprocal bar is capable of movement toward the container following engagement of the gripper-supported valve unit with the container to move the keeper into engagement with the valve and of movement relative to the keeper following engagement of the keeper with the valve unit a distance corresponding to the distention of the keeper, means associated with the jaws of the gripper operable prior to retraction of the reciprocal bar to separate the jaws from each other and from the valve, and other means associated with the head block operable during the initial movement of the reciprocal bar away from the container within a distance less than the distention of the keeper from the bar to retract the gripper from the valve unit.
 6. In a device for inserting an aerosol valve unit into a container, in combination, vertically reciprocable means including a slide bar, a valve unit gripper head carried by said slide bar for supporting a valve unit to effect insertion of the latter into a container, said gripper head being mounted for limited movement relative to the slide bar, and a spring pressed pin carried by said slide bar and engageable with the inserted valve unit during the initial elevating movement of said gripper head to assure positive separation of the valve unit from the gripper head.
 7. A device as defined in claim 6 which includes means for elevating said gripper head independently of said slide bar during said initial elevating movement.
 8. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein the gripper head comes to rest upon engagement of the valve unit with the container while the slide bar continues its downward movement for a predetermined short distance to load the spring pressed pin, and means for elevating said gripper head independently of said slide bar during said initial elevating movement.
 9. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein the gripper head carries a gripping device, and means for opening said gripping device upon insertion of the valve unit into the container.
 10. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein the aerosol valve unit has a loosely applied operating button, and wherein said spring pressed pin effects pressing of said operating button into a fully seated position on the valve unit during the lowering movement of said slide bar. 